A M- 


■Povte^  /\A. 


V. 


J 


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THE  PRINCiriES  OF  OUR  FAITH 


IN  THE 


W01!K  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS. 


^ > 


|)riiuiplfs  of  our  in  the  ®lorh  of  ^ortigii  pissions. 


A 8ERMO^^ 


rKEACllED  BEFOUk;  TUB 


6nural  |iSsnnMji  of  f^c  ^rfsbntfnan  (fijuvrjj, 


BT  ITS  APPOINTMENT,  IN’  TUB 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH, 
NEW  ORLEANS,  MAY  10,  1858. 


BY  THE 

REV.  A.  A.  PORTER, 

PASTOR  OF  THK  PRE.SBTTRRIAN  CBCRCH,  SELMA,  ALABAMA. 


}PubIisl)£6  bg  otlitr  of  tf)C  ®entral  asscmblg. 


NEW  YORK: 

MISSION  HOUSE,  23  CENTRE  STREET. 


1858. 


K.  O.  JENKlNti,  I'KIN'I  ER, 

26  JTianlifort  Street,  Nefas  Jpork. 


SEI^MO^r . 


“To  this  end  was  I born,  and  for  this  cause  came  I Into  the  world,  that  I should  bear  witness  nr.fo  tl  c 
truth.  ” — Jons  xvlll.  37. 

Standing  -where  I now  stand,  and  following  those  whom  I now  fol- 
low, I shall  not  attempt  any  thing  more  than  to  give  utterance  to  such 
thoughts  as  I am  sure  will  meet  a ready  response  in  your  own  hearts — 
to  plain  and  simple  truths,  which,  as  Presbyterians,  we  all  know,  and 
believe,  and.  love,  as  elementary  and  fundamental  principles  in  the  king- 
dom of  our  God  and  Saviour. 

Let  us  remember,  however,  that  the  simplest,  the  most  familiar,  the 
most  elementary  truths,  on  all  subjects,  are  the  most  important  and  the 
most  profitable. 

It  is  necessary,  too,  continually  to  revert  to  first  principles ; for  there 
is  a fiital  proclivity  in  men  to  grow  w^eary  of  them,  to  w'ander  from  them, 
and  to  leave  them  out  of  sight.  They  eannot,  therefore,  be  too  often  in- 
sisted on  and  repeated  in  our  hearing. 

That  portion  of  the  Church  of  Christ  which  fulfils  its  highest  functions 
in  this  General  Assembly,  testifies  its  faith  in  the  matter  of  foreign  mis- 
sions by  an  annual  sermon  on  this  special  theme.  Evidently  this  can 
with  no  propriety  be  done,  if  the  work  of  foreign  missions  does  not  ap- 
j)ertain  to  the  primary  and  most  essential  office  of  the  Church.  It  is  for 
no  secondary  and  subordinate  concern  to  occupy  the  time,  and  waste  the 
energies  of  the  last  and  highest  court  of  Jesus  Christ  here  upon  earth. 
That  which  is  distinguished  by  your  solemn  and  formal  consideration 
must  vindicate  its  right  as  belonging  to  the  very  subject-matter  of  your 
duty,  and  to  the  very  highest  responsibilities  of  an  ecclesiastical  assem- 
bly. It  behoves  us,  therefore,  perpetually  to  remind  ourselves,  and  to 
declare  unto  others,  what  our  faith  is  in  this  respect,  and  what  we  ac- 
cordingly perceive  and  feel  to  be  the  work  we  have  to  do. 

Suffer  me,  therefore,  to  present  in  the  simplest  manner  I can,  what  I 


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suppose  to  be  tbe  principles  of  our  faith,  involved  in  the  work  of  foreign 
missions — the  principles  which  justify  the  attention  which  it  receives  in 
the' counsels  of  the  assembled  Church. 

1.  First,  then,  we  believe  in  the  Election  of  Grace.  It  is  a part  of  our 
faith,  in  which  we  rejoice  and  are  exceeding  glad,  that  God  has  chosen 
out  of  the  world  a part  of  the  human  family,  and  given  them  in  covenant 
to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  be  redeemed  by  Ilis  blood,  sanctified  by  His 
Word  and  Spirit,  and  glorified  by  His  grace  in  joy  and  blessedness 
forever. 

We  believe,  furthermore,  that  these  elect  are  to  be  found  in  all  ages 
and  generations,  and  among  all  the  tribes  and  kindreds  of  the  earth. 
Tliis  precious  and  instructive  truth  was  repeatedly  declared  to  the  father 
of  the  faithful  when  it  was  revealed  to  him  in  words  full  of  mystery, 
which  might  well  have  staggered  any  faith  but  his  : “ In  thy  seed  shall 
all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed.”  The  royal  Psalmist  spake  of  it 
when,  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  wrote  the  decree  of  the  eternal 
Father  for  the  glory  of  the  eternal  Son,  “ Ask  of  me,  and  I shall  give 
thee  the  heathen  for  thine  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
earth  for  thy  possession.”  The  prophet  Isaiah  announced  it  again  when 
it  was  given  him  to  utter  in  the  language  of  men  the  counsels  of  the 
Godhead,  “ I will  also  give  t]aee  for  a light  to  the  Gentiles,  that  thou 
mayest  be  my  salvation  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.”  And  it  was  yet  again 
revealed  to  the  exile  of  Patmos,  when  his  vision  was  opened  to  discern 
the  secrets  of  eternity,  and  he  testified,  “ I beheld,  and  lo,  a great  multi- 
tude, which  no  man  could  number,  of  all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and 
people,  and  tongues,  stood  before  the  throne,  and  before  the  Lamb, 
clothed  with  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands,  and  cried  with  a 
loud  voice,  saying.  Salvation  to  our  God  which  sitteth  upon  the  throne 
and  unto  the  Lamb  I ” 

The  last  of  the  pro])hets,  in  the  concluding  revelation  of  Holy  Scrip- 
ture, as  if  with  the  trumpet-tones  of  a great  victory,  proclaims  this  great, 
this  sublime  truth,  that  the  elect  of  God  shall  be  gathered  from  the  four 
winds  of  heaven,  from  amongst  all  the  nations  of  the  whole  world. 

There  is  not  one  of  them,  therefore,  over  which  the  heart  of  the 
Church  does  not  yearn  and  travail,  as  the  birth-place  for  children  of  the 
Most  High,  and  from  which  she  does  not  by  faith  see  gathering  and 
coming  together  the  sons  and  daughters  of  the  Lord  our  God,  who  have 
been  redeemed  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  arc  to  be  called  and  sanctified 
by  Ilis  word  and  Spirit,  to  swell  the  company,  and  shout  the  hidlelujahs 


of  the  glorified  in  heaven.  IIow,  then,  can  it  be  that  the  Church  shall 
not  embrace  in  its  sympathies,  and  prayers,  and  efforts,  every  tribe  and 
kindred  of  tlie  human  race  ! IIow  can  the  heart  of  a Christian  fail  in 
its  loving  charities  to  compass  every  spot  of  earth  Avhere  men  are  born, 
live  and  die ; and  where,  therefore,  may  be  found  a part  of  the  elect  of 
God,  unto  whom  it  is  the  Father’s  good  pleasure  to  give  the  kingdom. 

2.  Another  principle  of  our  faith  is  that  for  the  salvation  of  the  elect 
of  God,  the  universal  and  indispensable  means  is  THE  TUUTll,  and  there- 
fore that  the  truth  must  be  preached  to  all  nations,  that  thereby  the  elect 
may  be  gathered,  and  brought  home  to  glory. 

This  is  our  testimony,  that  the  instrumental  cause  of  a sinner’s  salva- 
tion is  the  Truth — the  Truth  of  God  as  contained  in  the  Scriptures  of 
the  Old  and  New  Testaments.  The  power,  the  effectual  saving  power, 
is  the  power  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  “ dividing  to  every  man  severally  as 
lie  will”  ; and  therefore  the  glory  is  Ills,  and  Ills  only.  But  the  means 
with  and  by  which  He  saves  is  the  Truth.  The  sword  of  the  Spirit  is 
the  word  of  God.  As  it  is  written,  “ We  are  bound  to  give  thanks  alway 
to  God  for  you  brethren  beloved  of  the  Lord,  because  God  hath  from 
the  beginning  chosen  you  to  salvation,  through  sanctification  of  the 
Spirit  and  belief  of  the  truth ; whereunto  He  called  you  by  our  gospel, 
to  the  obtaining  of  the  glory  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.”  And  with 
what  conclusive  emphasis  does  the  same  apostle  affirm  the  same  truth 
to  the  Eomans  ? “ Whosoever  shall  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord 

shall  be  saved.  How  then  shall  they  call  on  Him  in  whom  they  have 
not  believed?  And  how  shall  they  believe  in  Him  of  whom  they  have 
not  heard  ? And  how  shall  they  hear  without  a preacher  ? And  how 
shall  they  preach  except  they  be  sent?  As  it  is  written.  How  beauti- 
ful are  the  feet  of  them  that  preach  the  gospel  of  peace,  and  bring  glad 
tidings  of  good  things  !” 

It  is  a truth  unspeakably  important  and  glorious  that  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  in  the  hearts  of  men  is  founded  in  conviction,  and  by  conviction  it 
is  to  be  extended,  perpetuated,  and  made  triumphant.  To  be'  a Chris- 
tian is  just  this  and  no  more,  to  know,  believe,  and  obey  the  truth.  This, 
therefore,  necessitates  teaching  and  instruction  as  indispensable  to  the 
continuance  and  spread  of  that  kingdom  in  the  earth. 

The  process  of  a sinner’s  salvation  begins  with  the  illumination  of  the 
mind.  By  the  instrumentality  of  the  Word,  and  by  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  the  light  of  truth  and  knowledge  is  conveyed  to  the  dark- 
ened understanding.  That  light,  supernatural  and  divine,  breaks  through 


6 


the  mists  of  passion,  prejudice  and  sin,  and,  pouring  its  rays  in  upon  the 
soul,  compels  it  to  see,  and  know,  and  believe.  Against  the  dictates  of 
his  own  perverted  reason,  against  flesh  and  sense,  desire  and  lust,  and 
pride,  and  the  powers  of  hell,  the  sinner  knows  and  believes.  In  and 
with  this  enlightening  and  convincing  grace,  he  is  born  again  by  the 
power  of  the  Uoly  Ghost,  and  becomes  a new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus. 
Hence  the  conversion  of  a sinner  is  constantly  described  in  Scripture  by 
terms  which  refer  to  this  mental  illumination.  For  example,  it  is  spoken 
of  as  “ opening  the  eyes — coming  to  a knowledge  of  the  truth — being 
taught  of  God — having  learned  of  the  Father — to  know  God  and  Jesus 
Christ — being  enlightened — having  the  eyes  of  the  understanding  open- 
ed.” Tliese  and  similar  expressions  are  jierpetually  used  as  synonymous 
with  the  new  birth,  or  new  creation  of  the  soul.  And  the  apostle  des- 
cribes the  gracious  operation  in  words  of  wonder  when  he  says,  “ God 
who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath  shined  in  our 
hearts  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face 
of  Jesus  Christ.”  The  efficient  power  is  the  power  of  God.  The  instru- 
ment and  means  is  the  truth. 

And  as  in  the  beginning,  so  in  the  continuance  and  perfection  of  Chris- 
tian experience,  a knowledge  and  belief  of  the  truth  is  the  indispensable 
means.  Ffo  advance  or  improvement  can  be  made  in  the  life  of  God, 
e.vcept  as  it  is  accompanied  by  increasing  knowledge.  The  gracious  and 
lively  actings  of  Faith  grow  and  strengthen  only  from  the  understanding 
spiritually  apprehending  more  and  more  of  the  truth.  Love,  the  con- 
summate grace  and  glory  of  religion,  in  every  act,  and  in  every  increase, 
must  be  preceded  by  the  perception  and  belief  of  some  truth  to  inflame 
its  ardors. 

It  is  true  that  a mere  intellectual  knowledge  and  conviction  of  doc- 
trine ma}^  outrun  tlic  experimental  and  actual  godliness  of  the  soul,  and 
even  exist  Avithout  it.  But  what  we  affirm  is,  that  experience  cannot 
possibly  outgrow  knowledge,  obedience  never  exceed  conviction — a pro- 
position which  only  needs  to  be  understood  to  be  accepted.  Hence  our 
Saviour  i)rayed  for  Ilis  disciples,  “ Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth. 
Th}'  word  is  truth.”  Hence,  also,  one  apostle  exhorts  us  to  desire  the 
sincere  milk  of  the  word,  that  we  may  grow  thereby ; and  another 
affirms  that  all  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  that  the  man 
of  God  may  be  perfect,  thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works. 
Hence  the  constant  appellation  of  religion  in  the  Scriptures  as  light,. 
knowl(?dgc,  understanding  and  wisdom;  and  the  constant  description  of 
the  sinner  as  blind,  ignorant  and  foolish.  And  herein  is  the  glory  of 


i 


true  religion,  that  it  is  no  delusion  of  the  reason,  but  its  illumination  ; 
no  illusive  trick  upon  the  fancy,  no  blind  impulse  of  superstition,  but 
the  enlightening  of  the  soul,  an  apprehension  of  the  truth,  the  certainty 
of  reason  and  understanding  taught  of  God.  Its  disciples  “know  the 
truth,”  and  “ the  truth  has  made  them  free.” 

It  is  of  the  very  substance  of  our  faith  that  one  of  the  offices  which 
Christ  executes  as  our  Redeemer,  is  that  of  a Projjhei,  revealing  to  us, 
“ by  Ilis  Word  and  Spirit,  the  will  of  God  for  our  salvation."  And  He 
accomplishes  the  functions  of  Ilis  Priestly  and  Kingly  offices  in  the 
souls  of  Ilis  people,  by  means  of  Ilis  prophetic  office.  If,  therefore,  this 
office  is  not  fulfilled  in  the  hearts  of  men,  salvation  is  imjio.ssible.  Ac- 
cordingly we  testify  that  “ they,  who,  having  never  heard  the  Gospel, 
know  not  Jesus  Christ,  and  believe  not  in  Him,  cannot  be  saved.” 

The  pestilent  heresies  wdiich  have  j)lagued  the  Church  have  ever 
flourished  by  the  perversion  of  .some  Go.spel  truth.  Such  has  always 
been  the  device  of  the  devil.  And  so  that  monstrous  error,  which,  as- 
serting itself  to  be  by  pre-eminence  enlightened  and  rational,  denies  all 
the  offices  of  Christ  but  the  prophetic,  deceives  and  destroys  men  by 
affirming  and  building  itself  upon  a part  of  the  truth.  For  it  is  true, 
fundamentally  true,  that  Christ  is  the  Great  I’eacher  of  the  wgrld,  and 
that  He  saves  the  world  by  instructing  and  enlightening  it.  This, 
though  not  all  the  truth,  is  a most  important  and  precious  part  of  it. 
Our  Saviour’s  own  testimony  was,  “ To  this  end  was  I born,  and  for 
this  cause  came  I into  the  world,  that  I should  bear  witness  to  the  truth.” 
The  beloved  disciple  declared  that  “ the  "Word  was  made  flesh  and  dw'elt 
among  us,  full  of  grace  and  truth.”  “ The  law  was  given  by  Closes,  but 
grace  and  truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ,”  not  grace  alone,  but  “grace  aiul 
truth neither  one  without  the  other ; but  both  one  and  the  other, 
“ grace  and  truth.” 

It  is  of  our  faith,  then,  that  our  Lord  God  gathers  Ilis  elect  into  His 
kingdom,  and  prepares  them  for  their  final  glory — not  bj'-  the  wisdom 
and  power  of  man — not  by  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the  Church — not 
by  some  mystic  charm  of  priestly  incantations — but  by  Ilis  own  great 
power  and  mercy,  by  means  of  the  truth,  and  with  wisdom  and  under- 
standing. There  are  those  who  profess  to  believe  that  men  are  made 
Christians,  and  saved  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  by  I know  not  what 
means  of  superstition,  ignorance  and  folly.  But  it  is  our  simple  and 
precious  faith  that  men  become  Christians,  and  enter  into  eternal  life, 
only  by  a knowledge  and  belief  of  the  truth  under  the  effectual  working 
of  the  grace  and  power  of  God.  Therefore  they  must  have  the  Gospel, 
or  they  are  lost  and  damned,  inevitably  and  eternally. 


8 


3.  A third  principle  of  our  faith  is,  that,  as  the  Election  of  Grace  are 
to  be  found  among  all  the  tribes  and  kindreds  of  men,  and  as  the  Truth 
is  the  indispensable  means  whereby  they  are  to  be  saved,  and  God’s 
purpose  accomplished,  so  lie  has  instituted  and  ordained  the  Churchy  chiefly 
and  pre-eminently  with  this  design  and  for  this  work^  namely,  to  preserve 
and  proclaim  the  Truth  throughout  all  the  world. 

The  minds  of  men  have  been  grievously  deceived  and  deluded  as  to 
the  nature,  design  and  functions  of  the  Church.  They  have  been  led  to 
regard  it  as  appointed  for  some  mystical  and  incomprehensible  purpose, 
and  endued  with  some  mysterious,  and,  as  it  were,  rnagical  powers,  and 
to  look  upon  its  ministers  as  invested  with  some  superhuman  virtue, 
whereby  they  convey  to  men  the  grace  of  salvation.  Our  faith,  how- 
ever, in  this  respect,  is  exceedingly  simple.  We  believe  the  Church  to 
be  an  institution  of  divine  origin  and  authority,  whose  function  and 
office,  primarily  and  chiefly,  it  is  to  preserve,  proclaim,  and  propagate 
the  Truth.  She  is  constituted  by  her  divine  Lord  and  ^Master,  the  de- 
positary, the  witness,  and  the  herald  of  the  Truth,  for  the  salvation  of 
His  elect,  and  for  the  condemnation  of  the  unbelieving.  Her  ministers 
are  not  priests,  but  witnesses  and  teachers,  called  and  sent,  not  to  oper- 
ate on  the  souls  of  men  by  the  magical  charm  of  rites  and  ceremonies, 
but  “by  manifestation  of  the  truth  to  commend  themselves  to  every 
man’s  conscience  in  the  sight  of  God to  persuade,  convince,  convert 
and  save  men,  not  by  sacerdotal  mummeries  and  manipulations,  but 
by  the  Word  of  God  preached  “ in  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of 
power.”  Her  sacraments,  solemn  and  holy  and  precious  as  they  are, 
are  not  mystic  charms  by  which  the  grace  of  God  is  communicated 
to  blind  and  passive  recipients,  but  “signs  and  seals”  of  the  Truth  to 
those  who  understand  and  believe  it.  Whatever  else  pertains  to  the 
Church  is  incidental  and  subsidiary  to  this,  that  she  may  the  better  fulfil 
her  one  great  work  to  communicate  the  Truth  of  God  to  men  for  their 
salvation.  This  was  the  very  sum  and  substance  of  her  commission, 
given  by  her  Lord  and  Saviour.  This  was  its  nature  and  extent:  “ Go 
ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature.”  “ Go 
ye  therefore  and  teach  all  nations — teaching  them  to  observe  all  things 
wliatsoever  T have  commanded  you.”  It  is,  therefore,  the  end  of  her 
existence  and  office  in  the  world  to  teach  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel, 
and  to  spread  them  abroad  among  all  men  as  the  only  instrument 
and  means  of  salvation. 

Let  us  therefore  distinctly  note  this  our  faith  as  to  the  intent  and 
design,  the  office  and  duty,  the  one  great  })urposc  and  business  of  the 


9 


Church  of  Jesus  Christ — the  one  for  which  she  exists,  in  which,  if  she 
fail,  she  is  as  good  as  dead  and  extinet.  It  is  a truth  immensely  import- 
ant and  instructive.  The  Church  must  understand  what  is  her  work  in 
this  apostate  world  before  she  can  well  and  wisely  attempt  to  perform  it. 
When  she  does  understand  it,  and  believe  in  God,  she  will  also  do  it.  The 
powers  of  earth  and  hell  shall  not  stay  her  zeal  and  her  resolution.  That 
work  has  this  simple,  this  sublime  import,  to  proclaim  through  all  the 
earth  the  Gospel  of  the  graee  of  God  as  the  truth  of  salvation.  She  is 
engaged  in  a war  of  opinions,  charged  to  subdue  the  world  to  the  flxith 
of  the  Bible.  The  stupendous  conflict  to  which  she  is  called  is  the  con- 
flict of  truth  with  error,  of  knowledge  against  ignorance,  of  right  reason 
against  the  blinded  and  perverted  reason  of  fallen  and  sinful  men.  The 
woild  is  the  wretched  victim  of  ignorance,  imposture  and  falsehood.  It 
is  wrong  in  its  faith,  theories  and  opinions,  no  less  than  in  its  life  and 
practice ; wrong  in  the  very  foundation  and  first  principles  of  its  creed ; 
wrong  in  what  it  believes  about  God,  about  itself,  about  the  soul,  about 
eternity.  Its  errors  are  fundamental  and  fatal ; and  it  is  the  bu.sincss  and 
duty  of  the  Church  to  set  it  right ; by  the  light  and  power  of  the  truth, 
attended  with  the  agency  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  shed  on  the  benighted 
souls  of  men  the  beams  of  divine  knowledge,  that  they  may  see,  and  know, 
and  believe,  and  believing,  be  saved.  This  is  her  holy  and  momentous 
work — the  service  she  is  called  to  render  to  man,  the  glory  she  is  des- 
tined to  bring  to  God.  For  this  she  lives,  and  moves,  and  has  her  being. 

If  now,  according  to  the  principles  which  I have  unworthily  attempted 
to  affirm,  the  elect  of  God  are  among  all  the  kindreds  and  tribes  of  the 
human  race,  if  they  are  to  be  saved  by  the  instrumentality  of  the  truth, 
and  if  the  Church  is  ordained  and  established  of  God,  first  and  chiefly 
for  the  purpose  and  with  the  duty  of  proclaiming  that  truth  for  their 
salvation,  then  it  follows : 

1st.  That  there  is  an  end  to  the.  argument  for  Foreign  Missions.  It  is 
complete  and  unquestionable.  We  can  have  no  further  debate  as  to  the 
duty  of  the  Church  to  preach  the  truth  to  all  the  nations  of  the  earth, 
and  not  to  rest  until  every  people  and  every  living  man  has  heard  and 
known  the  glad  tidings  of  the  Gospel.  And  when  occupied  with  this 
duty,  the  Church  is  legitimately  and  rightfully  occupied  with  that  which 
belongs  to  her  first  and  highest  function  and  office,  and  this  General 
Assembly  can  give  it  no  place  of  prominence  and  importance  which  it 
does  not  deserve  and  demand  from  the  supreme  council  of  that  Church 
upon  earth. 

In  so  far  as  the  Church  fulfils  her  trust  to  make  known  the  truth  to 


10 


all  men,  in  so  far  slie  fulfils  tlie  very  end  and  object  of  her  being  and 
existence,  and  no  further.  In  so  far  as  she  fails  in  this  trust,  she  is  apos- 
tate and  dead,  has  denied  her  Lord,  “ is  rejected,  and  is  nigh  unto  cursing, 
whose  end  is  to  be  burned.” 

2d.  In  the  second  place,  it  folloAvs  that  this  Church  in  particular — this 
Old  School  Presbyterian  Church — of  all  the  Christians  in  the  world,  ought 
to  he  the  foremost,  the  most  zealous,  and  the  most  abounding  in  the  work  of 
Foreign  Missions. 

It  is  not  pride  or  presumption  humbly  and  charitably  to  assert  our 
faith.  We  believe  that  the  truth  of  God,  in  its  purest  and  most  perfect 
form,  has  been  given  us  to  apprehend  and  adopt.  For  this  reason  we 
are  Presbyterians.  We  do  not  boast  of  it.  We  do  not  presume  upon 
it.  We  ascribe  it  to  the  grace  of  God,  who  divideth  to  every  one 
severally  as  He  will.  But  this  grace  brings  with  it  and  imposes  on  us 
an  exceeding  obligation,  a preeminent  responsibility.  If  it  is  so  indeed, 
then  ought  we  to  possess  and  exhibit  the  purest  and  most  perfect  form 
of  that  godliness  which  the  truth  begets  and  produces.  We  ought  to  be 
the  first  and  most  fruitful  in  all  zealous  and  holy  effort  to  propagate  the 
truth  throughout  all  the  world.  We  owe  it  to  our  Lord  and  Master,  and 
to  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  more  than  any,  more  than  all,  unceas- 
ingly, faithfully,  everywhere,  to  testify  to  the  truth,  which  it  has  been 
given  us  to  know  and  believe.  And  failing  in  this,  we  convict  and  con- 
demn ourselves  of  treachery  to  our  great  Lord  and  Saviour,  and  of 
cruelty  to  the  souls  of  our  fellow-men. 

Holding  the  faith  we  do,  we  must  believe  that  the  Presbyterian  Church 
is  called  to  the  special  mission  of  preserving  and  pi’oclaiming  in  the 
earth  the  pure  unadulterated  truth  of  God,  against  the  prevalent  and  per- 
nicious errors,  and  the  numerous  and  mighty  powers  at  work  to  corrupt 
and  destroy  it ; to  maintain  and  declare  it  complete  and  perfect ; to  de- 
liver to  the  world  her  humble  and  faithful  testimony  to  a pure  Gospel, 
without  addition  or  diminution,  according  as  it  has  been  given  to  her,  for 
the  honor  and  glory  of  her  God  and  Saviour,  and  for  the  salvation  of 
His  elect  from  among  all  nations.  And  if  she  fail  in  this,  being  dead, 
let  her  be  buried,  buried  deep  in  guilt  and  dishonor  ; and  for  a warning  to 
them  that  shall  come  after,  erect  over  her  tomb  a monument  to  her 
shame,  and  inscribe  upon  it  such  a memorial  as  becomes  those  who  have 
been  put  in  trust  with  the  highest  and  most  sacred  honour  and  duty,  and 
have  proved  recreant  and  fiiithless  before  God  and  man. 

3d.  The  principles  which  we  have  considered  further  teach  us  the 


11 


necessity  of  a clear,  profound,  and  ihorouyh  conviction  of  the  truth  which  we 
profess  to  believe,  in  the  liyht  and  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Without 
this,  we  may  have  our  spasmodic,  artilicial,  temporary  spells  of  activity ; 
but  without  it,  most  assuredly,  we  can  have  no  steady,  permanent,  per- 
severing, and  successful  continuance  in  zealous  labour  to  extend  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth.  No  man,  no  church  can  preach  with  success 
and  power  a truth  which  they  do  not  profoundly  believe.  We  need  a 
faith  which  illuminates  the  soul,  masters  all  its  powers,  and  to  its  deepest, 
most  profound  depths,  reigns  and  triumphs ; a faith  to  which  doctrines 
are  facts,  opinions  living  realities,  and  convictions  awful  verity  ; a faith 
so  clear,  so  living  and  real,  that  the  soul,  seeming  to  .stand  in  the  very 
presence  of  the  truth  it  believes,  becomes  intolerant  of  error,  burns  with 
the  fire  of  faith,  and,  in  the  intensity  of  its  convictions,  mu.st  speak  or 
die ; such  a faith  as  the  world,  stealing  the  name  of  charity  from  the 
Gospel,  and,  as  it  always  does,  corrupting  and  perverting  what  it  steals, 
will  condemn  and  reproach  as  ultraism,  bigotry,  and  fanaticism.  But  by 
whatever  ill  names  it  may  be  called,  it  is  the  only  effective  and  success- 
ful working  power  in  the  soul.  No  other  has  ever  accomplished  ant’- 
thing  in  the  world.  Men  may  condemn  and  vilify  it,  but  they  fear  it, 
they  quail  before  its  presence,  they  fall  victims  to  its  power. 

This  was  the  secret  of  Paul’s  indomitable  zeal  aud  wonderful  success. 
The  truth  was  as  a fire  in  his  boues.  It  was  this  in  the  lleformers  which 
hurled  them,  as  if  in  fury  and  despair,  on  the  gates  of  hell,  all  garri.soned 
as  they  were  with  frowning  death  and  munitions  of  mortal  terror.  It 
was  this  made  the  Puritans  the  feaiful,  awful  men  they  were,  that 
wonderful  generation,  who  seemed  to  be,  not  inen  like  us,  but  the  incar- 
nation of  faith,  the  believing  spirit  in  human  form,  at  whose  voice  kings 
and  armies  fled  away,  and  beneath  whose  tread  the  world  trembled  and 
was  afraid.  And  while  we  remember  that  charity  is  greater  than  faith 
and  knowledge,  let  us  not  forget  that  it  is  above  them,  not  to  destroy,  but 
to  maintain  and  preserve  them.  That  is  a spurious  and  a fatal  charity 
which  yields  up  one  jot  or  tittle  of  the  truth.  It  is  indeed  said,  in  an 
utterance  such  as  never  sprang  from  the  soul  of  man,  that  “(zoo?  is  love." 
But  before  that,  in  words  equally  sublime,  it  is  written  that  ^^God  is  light." 
And  there  is  no  true  and  real  love  but  that  which  kindles  and  burns  in 
the  light.  In  the  beginning,  when  God  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth, 
the  earth  was  without  form  and  void ; there  was  no  order,  life,  or 
beauty,  until  God  said  in  Ilis  majesty,  “Let  there  be  light,”  and  light 
was.  x\nd  it  is  not  otherwise  now  in  the  new  creation. 

Suffer  mo  to  say  therefore,  according  to  the  measure  of  wisdom  given 


12 


me,  that  this  is  what  we  need  as  a Church,  and  as  individuals — a revival 
of  Faith — of  faith  in  the  Truth  which  we  profess  to  believe  and  teach  ; 
faith  positive,  profound  and  convincing,  aggressive  and  missionary,  which 
shall  be  as  a fire  within  our  hearts,  burning  with  an  intense  desire  that  all 
men  may  know,  and  believe,  and  obey  the  same  precious  truth.  And 
what  we  need  in  order  to  this,  is  ourselves  to  see  and  know  and  un- 
derstand the  Truth  in  the  light  and  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
The  world  has  had  much  to  say,  and  alas ! with  truth,  in  reproach  of  a 
dead  orthodoxy.  Indeed,  without  life  there  is  majesty  and  power  in  it ; 
and  in  presence  of  its  inanimate  form  the  weaker  creeds  of  erronsts  stand 
in  awe  and  terror,  as  around  the  lifeless  body  of  a lion  the  meaner  beasts 
of  the  forest  creep  afraid.  But  “ a living  dog  is  better  than  a dead  lion.” 
And  our  faith  to  be  of  any  value,  and  to  possess  any  power,  must  be 
quickened  into  life  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  must  stand,  “ not  in  the 
wisdom  of  man,  but  in  the  power  of  God.”  We  must  not  only  believe, 
but  “ having  the  Spirit  of  faith  believe,  and  therefore  speak.” 

4th.  Furthermore  and  finally,  it  follows  that  Foreign  Missions  must  he 
successful.  This  consequence  flows  from  our  principles  by  a manifold 
deduction.  The  election  of  grace  secures  it  beyond  all  uncertainty.  It 
is  written,  “ all  that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to  me.”  “ And 
this  is  the  Father’s  will  which  hath  sent  me,  that  of  all  which  He  hath 
given  me  I should  lose  nothing.” 

The  question  of  the  success  of  missions  is  indeed  simply  the  question 
of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel.  It  is  nothing  more  nor  less.  To  doubt  the 
one,  is  to  doubt  the  other.  If  the  Gospel  is  true’,  it  will  and  must  prevail 
and  triumph.  God  has  affirmed  and  promised  it.  Ills  honor  and  glory 
arc  pledged  to  the  issue.  If  the  Lord  be  God — if  Jesus  of  Nazareth  is 
the  Son  of  God  and  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  He  must  reign.  He  reigns 
by  and  through  the  Truth.  The  Truth  therefore  must  win  the  victory 
and  subdue  the  hearts  of  men  to  itself. 

Every  lie  is  and  must  be,  in  and  of  its  own  nature,  weak  and  mortal. 
It  has  no  real,  positive,  substantial  being  and  existence,  no  actual  sub- 
sistence in  fact.  It  has  no  strength,  and  no  vitality,  but  in  the  faith  of 
its  deluded  followers.  And  when  they  die  it  dies  with  them.  Truth  on 
the  other  hand  is  in  and  of  itself  immortal  and  imperishable.  It  does 
not  depend  on  the  faith  of  blind  and  dying  disciples.  It  is  none  the  less 
true,  imperishable  and  eternal,  whether  men  believe  it  or  not.  Though 
all  men  should  deny  and  reject  it,  it  is  still  the  2'ruth,  overliving  and 
indestructible.  It  everlastingly  asserts  itself  in  the  facts  wherein  it  subsists. 


13 


And  when  all  falsehood  shall  perish  at  h\st  with  its  wretched  victims,  by 
reason  of  its  own  weakness,  the  Truth  will  reign  with  its  votaries  in 
eternal  strength.  This  is  its  sublime,  its  unutterably  glorious  preroga- 
tive. And  to  doubt  of  its  ultimate  triumph  is  simply  to  doubt  if  it  is 
Truth. 

Let  it  be  remarked,  by  the  way,  that  to  question  the  utility  and  suc- 
cess of  Foreign  Missions  is  ineffably  absurd  in  view  of  the  fact  that  all 
true  religion  now  existent  in  the  w'orld  is  the  fruit  and  eflect  of  Foreign 
Missions.  For  the  faith  and  hopes  which  we  ourselves  cherish  as  Chris- 
tians, we  are  indebted  to  missionaries  of  the  Cross  who  preached  the  glad 
tidings  of  the  Gospel  to  our  heathen  forefathers.  This  is  equally  true  of 
ever)'  other  Christian  Church  and  people  in  the  world.  And  to  doubt 
the  success  of  Foreign  Missions  is  to  contemn  and  despise  all  that  has 
been  accomplished  by  the  Church  of  Christ  in  the  ages  and  generations 
past. 

It  is  true  that  we  may  often  seem  to  have  cause  for  fear  and  doubt. 
Our  efforts  may  suffer  occasional  embarrassment.  The  conversion  of  the 
world  may  be  less  rapid  than  we  fondly  hoped.  Some  portions  of  the 
great  work  for  a time  may  be  thwarted,  or  destroyed.  The  heralds  of 
the  Truth  may  sometimes  fall  by  heathen  violence  before  their  work  is 
well  begun.  But  these  are  events  to  exercise  our  faith  and  patience,  to 
aw'aken  our  fortitude,  and  stimulate  our  strength — not  to  discourage 
hope,  paralyse  effort,  or  relax  diligence.  Let  us  not  for  a moment  doubt 
the  ultimate  triumph  and  prevalence  of  the  Truth.  The  kingdom  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  is  staked  upon  the  issue,  and  against  all  the  machina- 
tions of  men  and  devils,  yea,  by  and  through  them,  He  will  glorify  him- 
self. A little  while  ago  a throb  of  anguish  smote  through  the  heart  of 
the  Church  when  the  intelligence  came  that  a number  of  our  most  be- 
loved and  useful  missionaries,  with  their  gentle  wives  and  tender  babes, 
had  fallen  in  a bloody  and  cruel  death  by  the  hand  of  savage  violence. 
Eyes  unused  to  tears  wept,  and  thousands  of  hearts  in  the  bosoms  of 
strong  men  bled,  at  the  tidings  of  that  bitter  story.  It  was  the  most 
sorrowful  dispensation  that  has  fallen  to  our  Church  in  this  day  and 
time.  But  precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  is  the  death  of  His  saints ! 
The  cry  of  martyred  blood  ascends  to  heaven.  It  enters  the  ears  of  the 
Lord  of  Hosts.  And  it  has  sealed  as  His  own  the  land  on  which  it  was 
shed,  and  it  consecrated  it  for  the  future  conquest  of  our  God  and 
Saviour.  On  the  very  spot  where  it  was  spilt  He  will  erect  His  throne, 
and  reign  in  great  power  and  glory.  The  wrath  of  man  shall  praise 
Him.  And  the  fury,  the  fires,  and  the  slaughter  of  India  shall  but  exalt 
and  extend  the  victories  of  the  Truth. 


u 


Many  calamities  and  great  sorro'^s  may  indeed  be  yet  in  store  for  the 
world  and  for  the  Churcb.  The  vials  of  wrath,  prepared  of  God,  are 
probably  not  yet  all  exhausted.  Fearful  convulsions,  the  strifes  of  hellish 
passions,  the  shock  and  the  fury  of  contending  nations,  may  shake  and 
desolate  the  earth  yet  again  and  again.  But  in  the  midst  of  all  these, 
and  by  the  very  means  of  them,  the  Truth  shall  hold  its  victorious 
way  to  the  predestined  triumph.  That  which  shall  fall  and  perish  by 
them  are  the  lies  and  errors  which  curse  the  world.  And  if  our  eyes 
were  opened  to  understand  the  mysteries  of  our  own  day  we  should 
doubtless  see  that  the  cause  of  our  God,  and  of  His  Truth  is  moving 
forward  with  amazing  rapidity.  The  day  is  coming,  it  is  coming,  oh 
my  brethren,  when  the  shout  of  nation  shall  be  answered  by  the  shout 
of  nation,  and  from  every  land,  and  from  among  all  people  the  loud 
concert  shall  be  heard  encircling  the  whole  earth,  singing  with  one  heart 
and  one  voice  “ Alielulia  ! The  Lord  God  omnipotent  reigneth  !” 

“ Oh  long  expected  day,  begin  ! 

Dawn  on  this  world  of  woe  and  sin  !” 

Come  Lord  Jesus,  oh  come  quickly ! And  let  all  the  people  say, 
Amen  ! 


■ /Vf 


f .*  a 


